Lord Rooker: Currently 46 per cent of front line accident and emergency personnel are qualified as paramedics.

Lord Drayson: The defence logistics transformation programme continues to deliver significant benefits to the UK's Armed Forces. It is not only driving improvements in the effectiveness of the logistics support provided to the front line commands, but also reducing the costs associated with providing that support.
	Against the Defence Logistics Organisation's (DLO's) strategic goal of reducing output costs by 20 per cent, the programme had delivered audited savings of £755 million by the end of 2005-06. This enabled the DLO to exceed its strategic goal target by £100 million. In 2005-06, the programme also contributed a further £660 million of audited savings against an in-year efficiency target of £538 million.
	The principles of logistics transformation instigated by the programme are becoming increasingly embedded throughout the MoD including the front line commands. They will also be at the heart of Defence Equipment and Support, the new integrated procurement and support organisation that forms in April 2007.

Lord Rooker: There are 33 children within a 10-mile radius of the proposed Middletown Centre for Autism who have had a health assessment of autism. There are 67 children with an educational assessment of autism attending schools which are within a 10-mile radius of the centre and three pre-school children with an educational assessment of autism living within a 10-mile radius of the centre. It is not possible to provide the actual number of all school age children with an educational assessment of autism who live within a 10-mile radius of the centre. I should like to re-iterate the response to PQ/07/296 that the centre will provide services to children throughout Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			 English Counties 2005-06 £ million (a) Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance-income based (b) Pension Credit (c) Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (d) Other Benefits 
			 Greater London 2,113 948 4,312 6,841 
			 Greater Manchester 634 327 801 3,356 
			 Merseyside 455 214 2,045 2,130 
			 South Yorkshire 276 160 346 1,783 
			 Tyne and Wear 272 157 395 1,554 
			 West Midlands 709 397 881 3,359 
			 West Yorkshire 426 237 546 2,605 
			 Bedfordshire 46 29 84 435 
			 Buckinghamshire 39 28 86 535 
			 Cambridgeshire 55 43 107 652 
			 Cheshire 78 54 125 923 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 76 63 133 771 
			 Cumbria 69 49 110 748 
			 Derbyshire 100 76 155 1,047 
			 Devon 76 74 160 1,080 
			 Dorset 36 36 89 647 
			 Durham 99 64 146 775 
			 East Sussex 74 53 152 782 
			 Essex 173 121 320 1,744 
			 Gloucestershire 64 49 123 739 
			 Hampshire 106 80 230 1,526 
			 Hertfordshire 114 79 243 1,209 
			 Kent 195 125 355 1,771 
			 Lancashire 186 125 268 1,625 
			 Leicestershire 48 48 80 771 
			 Lincolnshire 82 71 130 1,005 
			 Norfolk 113 89 194 1,224 
			 Northamptonshire 79 55 128 748 
			 Northumberland 47 32 67 457 
			 North Yorkshire 51 48 106 785 
			 Nottinghamshire 107 67 150 1,049 
			 Oxfordshire 56 38 133 657 
			 Shropshire 27 29 54 414 
			 Somerset 54 48 112 728 
			 Staffordshire 89 73 140 1,107 
			 Suffolk 79 65 151 947 
			 Surrey 82 60 203 1,247 
			 Warwickshire 54 46 101 676 
			 West Sussex 76 61 176 1,075 
			 Wiltshire 36 32 84 537 
			 Worcestershire 61 49 110 737 
			 Total 7,613 4,499 14,336 52,799 
			 Source:  DWP Benefit expenditure tables and DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 
			 Notes: 
			 Figures are for 2005-06 rounded to the nearest £million and are consistent with Pre-Budget Report 2006.Totals may not sum due to rounding. 
			 Income Support, including Jobseeker's Allowance income-based, is in column (a). Other main Income based benefits are in columns (b) and (c). 
			 In column (d) are the principal benefits, State Pension, Winter Fuel Payments, Attendance Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance, Jobseekers Allowance-contribution based, Disability Living Allowance, Carer's Allowance and Bereavement Benefits.

Lord Rooker: The 16 October 2006 was the deadline for registering to be included in the published 1 December register. The following table shows an overall increase from 1 December register to the current register, which will be in use for the forthcoming March election, of 3.8 per cent. This represents an addition of 40,849 names to the electoral register.
	
		
			 Constituency Register 1.12.06 Revised Register Feb 07 Per cent change Dec 06 - Feb 07 
			 Belfast East 48,570 50,053 +3.1 
			 Belfast North 47,369 49,629 +4.8 
			 Belfast South 47,190 49,177 +4.2 
			 Belfast West 45,923 51,057 +11.2 
			 East Antrim 55,658 57,025 +2.5 
			 East Londonderry 55,056 56,491 +2.6 
			 Fermanagh & South Tyrone 64,039 66,410 +3.7 
			 Foyle 62,521 65,430 +4.7 
			 Lagan Valley 68,430 70,654 +3.3 
			 Mid Ulster 59,358 61,783 +4.1 
			 Newry & Armagh 68,812 71,387 +3.7 
			 North Antrim 70,868 73,332 +3.5 
			 North Down 56,420 57,947 +2.7 
			 South Antrim 63,983 66,046 +3.2 
			 South Down 69,951 72,340 +3.4 
			 Strangford 65,504 67,158 +2.5 
			 Upper Bann 69,588 71,244 +2.4 
			 West Tyrone 55,876 58,802 +5.2 
			 Total 1,075116 1,115965 +3.8

Lord Drayson: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans (Derek Twigg) recently received a letter from the vice chairman of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association about "Gulf War syndrome" and the department's handling of war pensions claims from veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf conflict. The vice chairman has accepted an invitation to discuss these and other issues with the Minister for Veterans. The Minister has offered a number of dates and we hope that a meeting will take place shortly.

Lord Davies of Oldham: I very much regret the delay in answering the noble Lord's questions which were transferred to the Treasury on 15 February. The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, National Statistician dated 21 February 2007.
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
	How many people died as a result of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in each strategic health authority area in England and Wales in (a) 2004; (b) 2005; and (c) 2006. (HL1610);
	How many people died as a result of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in mental illness hospitals in each strategic health authority area in England and Wales in (a) 2004; (b) 2005; (c) 2006. (HL 1611);
	How many people died from Clostridium difficile in each strategic health authority area in England and Wales in (a) 2004; (b) 2005; and (c) 2006. (HL 1612); and
	How many people died from Clostridium difficile in mental illness hospitals in each strategic health authority area in England and Wales in (a) 2004; (b) 2005; (c) 2006. (HL1613)
	Analyses of deaths involving methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile in England and Wales are undertaken annually by ONS. The latest year for which figures are currently available is 2004.
	Numbers of deaths in 2004 involving MRSA/Clostridium difficile are provided in the table below for strategic health authorities in England, and for Wales.
	In 2004 in England and Wales there were seven deaths where MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate, and where the place of death was recorded as a psychiatric hospital. Of these, three certificates specified MRSA as the underlying cause of death. In the same year there were six deaths where Clostridium difficile was mentioned on the death certificate, and where the place of death was a psychiatric hospital. Of these, three certificates specified Clostridium difficile as the underlying cause of death. These figures on deaths in psychiatric hospitals cannot be provided for individual strategic health authorities because they may be potentially disclosive.
	ONS publishes annual reports on deaths involving MRSA and Clostridium difficile in Health Statistics Quarterly. The next reports, which will include the first release of data for 2005, will be published in Health Statistics Quarterly 33 on 22 February 2007.
	
		
			 Number of death certificates where MRSA1 and Clostridium difficile2 were (a) mentioned and (b) recorded as the underlying cause of death 3, by Strategic Health Authorities in England, and Wales,4 20045 
			  MRSA Clostridium difficile 
			  (a) (b) (a) (b) 
			 North East 68 20 125 72 
			 North West 127 28 278 138 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 115 34 155 74 
			 East Midlands 90 21 137 90 
			 West Midlands 115 39 282 149 
			 East of England 128 48 245 138 
			 London 135 39 239 145 
			 South East Coast 91 31 148 80 
			 South Central 87 31 188 102 
			 South West 136 43 358 199 
			 Wales 75 26 88 55 
			 Total 1,167 360 2,243 1,242 
			 1 Identified using the methodology described in Griffiths C, Lamagni TL, Crowcroft NS, Duckworth G and Rooney C (2004). Trends in MRSA in England and Wales: analysis of morbidity and mortality data for 1993-2002. Health Statistics Quarterly 21, 15-22. 
			 2 Identified using the methodology described in Office for National Statistics (2005) Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2004. Health Statistics Quarterly 30, 56-60. 
			 3 Excludes neonatal deaths. 
			 4 Excludes deaths of non-residents. Figures are provided for current boundaries of English Strategic Health Authorities. 
			 5 Deaths occurring in the calendar year 2004.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Information on foreign nationals held in prison establishments in England and Wales is currently collected centrally on the basis of country of origin. This information is not broken down further by immigration status.
	The position on 30 September 2006 can be found in the attached table drawn from data held on the prison IT system.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.
	
		
			 Population in prison by nationality and sex England and  Wales 30 September 2006  
			 Nationality Male Female Total 
			 All nationalities 74,782 4,573 79,355 
			 UK nationals 64,063 3,539 67,602 
			 Foreign nationals 9,988 940 10,928 
			 Not recorded 731 94 825 
			 Total Africa 2,708 342 3,051 
			 Angola 69 5 74 
			 Burundi 9 1 10 
			 Dahomey (Benin) 10 0 10 
			 Botswana 4 0 4 
			 Ivory Coast 26 2 28 
			 Central African Republic 7 0 7 
			 Congo 106 3 109 
			 Cameroon, United Republic 33 2 35 
			 Cape Verde 1 0 1 
			 Algeria 206 0 206 
			 Egypt 9 1 10 
			 Ethiopia 68 2 70 
			 Ghana 177 29 206 
			 Gambia 40 3 43 
			 Guinea 15 0 15 
			 Equatorial Guinea 1 0 1 
			 Guinea/Bissau 3 0 3 
			 Kenya 50 5 55 
			 Liberia 27 4 31 
			 Libya 31 0 31 
			 Morocco 48 3 51 
			 Mali 1 0 1 
			 Mauritania 1 0 1 
			 Mauritius 24 1 25 
			 Malawi 11 1 12 
			 Mozambique 1 0 1 
			 Namibia 4 1 5 
			 Niger 3 0 3 
			 Nigeria 762 212 974 
			 Rwanda 15 0 15 
			 Seychelles 1 0 1 
			 Sudan 53 1 54 
			 Sierre Leone 86 5 91 
			 Senegal 9 0 9 
			 Somalia 335 14 350 
			 Chad 1 0 1 
			 Togo 8 4 13 
			 Tunisia 18 0 18 
			 Tanzania 18 0 18 
			 Uganda 84 6 90 
			 Western Sahara 1 0 1 
			 South Africa 139 23 162 
			 Zambia 14 2 16 
			 Congo, Democratic Republic 32 0 32 
			 Zimbabwe 145 15 159 
			 Total Asia 1,607 94 1,701 
			 Bangladesh 197 1 198 
			 Bhutan 1 0 1 
			 Burma 4 1 5 
			 China 242 37 279 
			 Hong Kong 7 0 7 
			 Indonesia 4 0 4 
			 India 261 9 271 
			 Japan 1 0 1 
			 Cambodia 1 0 1 
			 Korea Republic of (Sth) 3 0 3 
			 Sri Lanka 157 0 157 
			 Myanmar, Union of (Burma) 1 0 1 
			 Mongolia 6 0 6 
			 Malaysia 24 4 28 
			 Nepal 4 0 4 
			 Phillipines 12 4 16 
			 Pakistan 430 6 437 
			 Singapore 2 0 2 
			 Thailand 2 4 6 
			 Taiwan (Nationalist Chinese) 1 0 1 
			 Vietnam 246 26 272 
			 Total Central and South America 312 56 368 
			 Argentina 3 1 4 
			 Bolivia 4 1 5 
			 Brazil 43 14 57 
			 Belize 3 0 3 
			 Chile 15 1 16 
			 Colombia 120 14 135 
			 Costa Rica 4 0 4 
			 Ecuador 12 1 13 
			 French Guyana 4 0 4 
			 Guatemala 4 0 4 
			 Guyana 30 8 38 
			 Honduras 1 0 1 
			 Mexico 13 1 14 
			 Panama 2 1 3 
			 Peru 5 0 5 
			 Paraguay 1 0 1 
			 Surinam 7 1 8 
			 South Georgia 1 0 1 
			 El Salvador 0 3 3 
			 Uruguay 3 0 3 
			 Venezuela 37 10 47 
			 Total Europe 2,922 233 3,155 
			 Albania 127 4 131 
			 Armenia 4 0 4 
			 Austria 9 3 12 
			 Azerbijan 3 0 3 
			 Bosnia-Hercegovina 6 5 11 
			 Belgium 43 4 47 
			 Bulgaria 10 0 10 
			 Croatia 10 2 11 
			 Switzerland 4 2 6 
			 Czech Republic 31 5 36 
			 Cyprus 61 2 63 
			 Germany 113 18 131 
			 Denmark 10 1 11 
			 Estonia 16 0 16 
			 Spain 74 13 87 
			 Finland 3 0 3 
			 France 154 17 171 
			 Georgia 13 0 13 
			 Gibraltar 2 0 2 
			 Greece 24 4 28 
			 Hungary 19 1 20 
			 Irish Republic 643 48 692 
			 Iceland 1 0 1 
			 Italy 117 9 126 
			 Kazakhstan 2 1 3 
			 Kyrgystan 4 0 4 
			 Lithuania 177 13 190 
			 Latvia 49 2 51 
			 Moldova 33 0 33 
			 Macedonia 5 0 5 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 98 0 98 
			 Malta 10 0 10 
			 Netherlands 118 29 147 
			 Norway 5 0 5 
			 Poland 240 9 248 
			 Portugal 159 13 172 
			 Romania 130 10 140 
			 Sweden 8 6 14 
			 Slovakia 18 4 22 
			 Slovenia 3 1 4 
			 Russia 104 9 113 
			 Turkey 255 1 256 
			 Turkmenistan 2 0 2 
			 Uzbekistan 3 0 3 
			 Total Middle East 647 6 652 
			 United Arab Emirates 5 0 5 
			 Afghanistan 89 1 90 
			 Iran 188 3 191 
			 Israel 20 0 20 
			 Iraq 269 0 269 
			 Jordan 11 0 11 
			 Kuwait 14 0 14 
			 Lebanon 26 1 27 
			 Oman 1 0 1 
			 Saudi Arabia 12 1 13 
			 Syrian Arab Republic 3 0 3 
			 Yemen, Republic of 8 0 8 
			 Total North America 102 25 127 
			 Canada 21 5 26 
			 United States of America 81 20 101 
			 Total Oceania 38 4 42 
			 Australia 19 1 20 
			 Fiji 11 2 13 
			 French Southern Territories 1 0 1 
			 Kiribati 1 0 1 
			 New Zealand 6 1 7 
			 Total Other 7 0 7 
			 Total unrecorded 731 94 825 
			 West Indies 1,644 181 1826 
			 Aruba 1 0 1 
			 Anguilla 1 0 1 
			 Netherlands Antilles 23 8 31 
			 Barbados 27 3 30 
			 Bermuda 4 0 4 
			 Bahamas 4 0 4 
			 Cuba 1 0 1 
			 Dominica 4 0 4 
			 Dominican Republic 8 2 10 
			 Grenada 27 6 34 
			 Haiti 2 0 2 
			 Jamaica 1,406 132 1,538 
			 St Lucia 23 6 29 
			 Montserrat 17 0 17 
			 St Christopher & Nevis 1 0 1 
			 St Kitts and Nevis 2 0 2 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 79 23 103 
			 St Vincent & The Grenadines 12 1 13

Lord Drayson: Operation Sinbad is a joint multinational force (MNF)/Iraqi operation to improve security in Basra City. When the operation began in September 2006, Iraqi forces were employed in a supporting role but, as Op Sinbad has progressed, they have gained valuable experience and expertise, which has seen them taking on the lead role. As a consequence, the number of UK troops involved reduced from approximately 650 in the early phases of the operation to fewer than 150 troops in the latter phases of the operation.
	Over the course of Op Sinbad, more than $70 million is being invested in a host of reconstruction activities including water and electricity infrastructure projects, hospital and school refurbishments and resupply and road network improvements. In order to achieve this, security forces "pulse" into a particular focus area for 36 hours to allow civilian and military engineers, and Iraqi civilian workers to carry out a variety of immediate impact reconstruction activities and to initiate a number of medium and longer-term projects. Following the initial pulses the medium and long-term projects are carried forward by Iraqis. There are currently more than 100 Op Sinbad medium/long-term projects, worth tens of millions of dollars, still ongoing and it is estimated that the majority of the medium-term projects will be completed in the next two months while the longer-term projects are likely to remain ongoing for three to six months. In addition to the reconstruction work, a MNF police training team visits local police stations during Op Sinbad to assess the abilities of the police services and provide training and mentoring.
	Op Sinbad will continue to be conducted in other parts of Basra province, including more rural and provincial areas, with Iraqi forces taking the lead for delivering the operation in these areas. The projects for these focus areas are still being developed and it is not possible to say accurately at this stage what further investment will be made in these areas. However, outwith Op Sinbad, five major projects are planned to improve roads, water and sewage treatment in the multinational division (south east) area. It is estimated that the total cost of this investment will be some $23 million.

Lord Drayson: Data on how many executive and administrative posts are held by non-British European Union nationals in the department and when the first non-British European Union national was recruited are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate effort.
	Any non-British European nationals employed permanently by the MoD would have been recruited on the basis of fair and open competition in accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Code, which can be found at www.civilservicecommissioners.gov.uk.

Lord Rooker: The noble Lord will be aware of paragraph 19 of Annex A of the St Andrews agreement which provides for a restored North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) to appoint a review group to examine the efficiency and value for money of existing implementation bodies; and the case for additional bodies and areas of co-operation within the NSMC where mutual benefit would be derived.
	That group would also input into the work commissioned by the NSMC, prior to suspension in 2002, on the identification of a suitable substitute for the proposed Lights Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. When such a substitute is identified and agreed by NSMC, the name of the implementation body as defined in the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 could be amended, though I would have to stress that any such amendment to the body's functions or title would require the specific endorsement of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Oireachtas.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The ODA's sustainable development strategy, published on 23 January, sets out its aim to maximise the environmental and health benefits of its transportation and logistics planning for materials during the enabling works and construction phases of the Olympic programme. It aspires for at least 50 per cent of materials, by weight, to be transported to the Olympic park by water or rail during construction, minimising the impact on the surrounding community and road networks. Where road transportation is used, the ODA will facilitate full journeys, palletised deliveries and routine road shipments during off peak travel times.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much has been saved in each year for which figures are available as a result of the Social Security Benefits Up-Rating Regulations which freeze the pensions of some United Kingdom pensioners living overseas.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information is not available in the format requested. Current estimates are that it would cost approximately £3 billion, in 2007-08, to bring frozen rate pensions up to current levels and to pay all the arrears but would cost around £420 million if arrears are not paid and this would be ongoing costs which will rise year on year.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: It would cost around £420 million to bring frozen pensions up to current levels in 2007-08 which would increase year on year. The average cost per head would amount to approximately £800 per pensioner.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the average cost per United Kingdom resident pensioner for (a) healthcare; (b) pension credits; (c) winter fuel allowance; (d) age related payments; and (e) Christmas bonus.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The average cost per GB resident over the age of 60 for pension credits, winter fuel allowance, age related payments and Christmas bonus in 2005-06 are shown in the table below:
	
		
			 Benefit type Average cost per GB resident over age 60 in 2005-06 
			 Pension Credits £514 
			 Winter Fuel Allowance £158 
			 Age Related Payments £91 
			 Christmas Bonus £9.70 
		
	
	Costs are shown in terms of the prices current at the time the expenditure was made.

Pensions: Mirror Group

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What safeguards exist to protect Mirror Group pensioners if Trinity Mirror is sold or broken up to ensure that any deficit in the moneys available to maintain pension levels is made up and will continue to be made up; and whether they will take action to strengthen the guarantees.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government have introduced or strengthened a number of safeguards to protect scheme members where their company is sold on or broken up.
	Where a defined benefit occupational pension scheme pension continues to run on and the new sponsoring employer remains solvent, the employer would need to meet the new scheme funding requirements applicable to pension scheme valuations completed on or after 30 December 2005 which are based on an effective valuation date on or after 22 September 2005. Under the new regime trustees must develop prudent funding strategies, and the new requirements can be expected to lead to improvements in scheme funding levels generally over time.
	Where such a pension scheme commences wind-up, any deficit in the scheme becomes a debt on the employer. The Government have strengthened this requirement so that the debt is calculated on the basis that the scheme should be able to meet the full costs of winding up and the full benefits that scheme members have accrued and expect to receive (the "full buy-out" level).
	The law also specifies a priority order so that, where a defined benefit occupational pension scheme is wound up with insufficient assets to meet all liabilities, the assets are shared as fairly as possible among scheme members.
	Where the sponsoring employer of a defined benefit occupational pension scheme becomes insolvent and the scheme cannot pay the benefits members were expecting, members may be eligible for compensation from the Pension Protection Fund, which was set up in April 2005
	The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry may make payments out of the National Insurance Fund into an occupational pension scheme if he is satisfied that an employer has become insolvent and that at the time it became insolvent there remained unpaid employee or employee contributions falling to be paid to the scheme.
	In addition to these measures, the Government introduced the financial assistance scheme, which was recently extended substantially. The financial assistance scheme provides assistance funded by the taxpayer to qualifying members of qualifying schemes who face pension losses because their scheme started to wind up underfunded, between 1 January 1997 and 5 April 2005, where the employer is insolvent or no longer exists.
	The Government are currently considering the implications of the recent ruling of the European Court of Justice on article 8 of the 1980 insolvency directive, as explained by the right honourable John Hutton in his Written Statement laid in both Houses on 26 January 2007.

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether operational manpower and funding will be diverted by the Chief Constable from frontline policing in Northern Ireland, in order to enhance the historic enquiries team that will investigate conclusions in the recent report of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and, if so, to what extent.

Lord Rooker: The historic enquiries team unit was established by the PSNI in January 2006. It is an integral part of the PSNI and it is a matter for the Chief Constable to take decisions on the most appropriate manner in which to deploy the resources at his disposal.
	It is yet to be decided whether PSNI resources or funding will be diverted to the historic enquiries team.

Lord Rooker: The Government devote considerable resources to policing in Northern Ireland. The PSNI budget for 2006-07 is £882.4 million with a further £34 million allocated to the HET project. The PSNI budget is considerably more per head of population than in other areas of the UK. Decisions on appropriate allocations of resources are for the Chief Constable.

Lord Rooker: The historic enquiries team began work in January 2006. Its aims are to assist in bringing closure to families of victims and to ensure that all investigative and evidential opportunities are examined and exploited in a manner that satisfies the obligation of an "effective investigation".
	HET is tasked with re-examining 3,268 murders committed between 1968-98. The HET generally examines cases in chronological order and is currently working on cases from 1969 and the early 1970s.
	To date no one has been charged with murder as a result of HET's work. However, many families have been helped as a result of the detailed information about the death of a relative provided by the HET.
	The HET comprises 110 staff including nine police officers: two detective chief inspectors, one detective superintendent, three detective sergeants, and three detective constables.
	The remaining staff are supplied by agencies on a contract basis and include retired police officers who assist in carrying out review, investigation and family liaison work and administrative staff.
	The HET project has been allocated £34 million over six years. Estimated expenditure to 31 March 2007 is £10.5 million.

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 6 February (WA 130) on the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, whether exemption from disclosure under Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to a matter directly affecting a public appointment; and whether they will reconsider their answer to Lord Maginnis of Drumglass's Question (HL1682).

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 5 February (WA 100), whether there is a welfare department in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI); whether the PSNI has a duty of care for serving officers; and, if so, whether records of the uptake of such support are maintained.

Lord Rooker: There is a welfare department in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Following an internal review, the welfare branch was amalgamated with occupational health service to form occupational health and welfare, which allows a holistic delivery of service to officers and staff within PSNI. This service is now provided by the PSNI employee support officers under the supervision of a clinical psychologist. Records of the uptake of this support are maintained. The extent of PSNI's duty of care for serving officers is currently subject to an awaited judicial decision.

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 5 February (WA 101), whether there is provision for welfare and medical support for long-serving ex-Royal Ulster Constabulary GC and ex-Police Service of Northern Ireland officers; if so, whether records on the uptake of such support are maintained; and how they define their duty of care to these ex-officers; and
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 5 February (WA 97), whether there is provision for welfare, medical support or counselling for the wives or dependants of deceased long-serving ex-Royal Ulster Constabulary GC and ex-Police Service of Northern Ireland officers.

Lord Rooker: The support available for ex RUC GC and ex PSNI officers as well as the wives and dependants of deceased officers is provided through a number of channels.
	The Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust (PRRT) provide a range of psychological therapies and physiotherapy treatments. They also provide a comprehensive service of career and personal development guidance, as well as training and education. These services as well as being available to ex officers are also available (and promoted) to members of the RUC GC Widows Association and the RUC GC Parents Association. Children of deceased officers can receive psychological support through the PRRT Children and Young People's Service.
	Further support is also available from the Northern Ireland Police Fund to ex RUC and PSNI officers seriously injured as a result of terrorist activities. This is also applicable to widows and dependants of officers murdered by terrorist violence.
	Records are maintained by both organisations as to all the assistance provided.
	The RUC Widows Association, the RUC Benevolent Fund, and the Police Dependants Trust exist specifically to support the families of ex officers. There are a wide range of charitable organisations that operate in this area. The PSNI Employee Support Service is happy to provide advice about the range of external organisations that are available to assist.

Baroness Darcy de Knayth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 16 January (WA 138), whether they will adopt the practice of replying substantively to Questions for Written Answer rather than referring to Answers given to Questions in the House of Commons; and whether they will make such a reply in the case of the above Question (WA 138).

Lord Glentoran: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the operation of a ferry service from Ballycastle, County Antrim to Campbeltown, County Argyle has been delayed.

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the job description of Mr Phil Taylor who is a political adviser in the Northern Ireland Office.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Health and Safety Statistics for 2005-06 cover all cases of death, injury and ill health which are reportable to the health and safety enforcing authorities, including the Office of Rail Regulation, under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.
	Road traffic legislation is not enforced by the health and safety enforcing authorities, so most road accidents are not reportable under RIDDOR.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The health and safety statistics for ill health and injuries by industry sector are based on the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The statistics by sector do include people working on road maintenance and construction but they are classified under the construction sector, not the transport and communications sector.
	Injuries from road traffic accidents are not included in these LFS statistics. This is in order to be consistent with the scope of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995, which forms the basis for the statistics published by HSC and does not require the majority of road accidents to be reported to the health and safety enforcing authorities.
	However, ill health reporting requirements in RIDDOR do not exclude work-related driving. Any cases of work-related illness ascribed by respondents to driving as part of their employment are included under the appropriate industry sector for that employment, including transport and communications, but they are not separately identifiable.
	The standard industry classification does not allow road and rail transport to be clearly separated within the transport and communication section code.